This sounds like it would be a wonderful feel good anytime meal. Giada always makes everything seem so easy! Whenever I’m flipping through the channels and I land on Everyday Italian, I have to stay and check out what she’s making.

Image via sxc.hu

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Pasta With Penne Sauce

Giada DeLaurentiis was on the Today Show this morning to make her classic beef lasagna. She says the biggest hurdle with making lasagna is the prep work, but I’ve got to disagree with her – I love prepping for it!

She shares a few of her lasagna techniques like rinsing the noodles to keep them from getting gummy (I don’t rinse and have never had an issue). She also uses a bechamel sauce for her lasagna, which, after a little Googlefu I’ve found is authentic though I’ve never tried it.

The end of the clip is chaos as they rush to beat the clock, but as always Giada’s lasagna looks amazing!

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Giada DeLaurentiis Makes Beef Lasagna on the Today Show

How was your Thanksgiving?

Except for a couple of sickies (including me!) ours went pretty well! We stuck with our Foot Network-inspired menu and while it was fun to try new things we’ll probably stick to our traditional dishes next year.

The brining that we did for the turkey was a hit. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a moist turkey, it was awesome. We found some brining bags at Whole Foods the day before, which was good because my husband was reluctant to use one of his beer making buckets (I don’t blame him!). I made the brine early Wednesday afternoon and got it in the fridge so it’d be cold enough for the turkey, and the whole process was pretty painless. This’ll definitely be part of our yearly prep!

The turkey turned out beautifully but with the hustle and bustle I didn’t get a decent picture of it (this picture was in the background of a shot my husband took, right before we took the turkey out).

The one thing that didn’t turn out was the gravy. I’ve made gravy a lot and never had a problem, but this time it separated and looked awful but tasted fine. I even had Alton’s segment on the DVR and rewatched it a few times and did everything he did, so I’m not sure what happened.

Tyler’s dressing was ok. My husband’s really the only one crazy about Italian sausage but it added a really nice flavor to the bread anyway and while it wasn’t a pain to make there was some juggling getting what should be a simple side dish going. Oddly enough the chestnuts really didn’t add anything to the dish and I’m glad we didn’t spend anymore time trying to find them fresh, roasting them ourselves, etc.

Giada’s potatoes were delicious and we’ll probably make them again in a non-holiday meal. Make sure you don’t add any extra salt to it while making it – the cheeses definitely take care of that for you!

I also made my usual dinner rolls, some steamed veggies, and pumpkin pie. Overall it was a fun day (I love trying new recipes!) and everyone enjoyed the food.

Did you try anything new yesterday? How did it turn out?

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The Day After

image:  Amazon

Giada was on the Today Show showing off her beautiful 6 month old daughter, Jade, and the birth of her newest cookbook, Giada’s Kitchen:  New Italian Favorites.  She said that with the birth of her daughter she wanted a book that had some great recipes the entire family would be sure to enjoy and that maybe even little hands can offer their help.  So, she has a section of the cookbook dedicated to just that.  Jade doesn’t have enough teeth to try any of her mom’s new ideas, but boy is she cute!  I suppose the great gene-pool doesn’t hurt.

From the publisher:

Yes, you will still find those fabulous recipes she remembers so fondly from family meals, but you’ll also find updated twists on classic trattoria favorites—California-inflected, hearty but not overwhelming, and with the perfect balance of healthfulness and terrific flavor. Wouldn’t you love a faster, lighter take on osso buco (here made with turkey instead of veal), a salad with real substance (like one of cantaloupe, red onion, and walnuts), and fish that gets an Italian makeover by way of lots of fresh veggies and accents such as fennel and grapefruit salsa? And let’s not forget dessert. After all, what’s not to adore about little doughnuts dipped in chocolate sauce?

Ranging from soups and snacks to easy entrées and elegant dinner-party fare, Giada’s recipes are perfect for any day of the week. And for the first time, she includes a full section of dishes that the little ones will love making as much as they love eating (like mini chicken meatballs). With something to please everyone at your table, Giada’s Kitchen deliciously demonstrates why Giada De Laurentiis has become America’s best-loved Italian cook.

Italy meets California In Giada De Laurentiis’s collection of 100 new recipes, she focuses on fresh ingredients, simple preparation, and bright flavors. Anyone who wants to indulge in the pleasures of Italian food without feeling weighed down will find inspiration for delicious, hearty yet healthy weekday meals. Giada’s recipes satisfy both our desire to eat with gusto and to feel good about what we eat.

While on the Today Show she shared a couple of her kid-friendly, mother approved food.  Below is the recipe for Shrimp Polenta.  This is a healthier version of fried shrimp and I think that your kids are going to love it.  She also shared a simple recipe for chicken legs.  My 6 year old devours chicken legs in just about any way they are cooked.  She took a zip lock back and placed 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 5 cloves split in half (you could put less if you desire), 1/2 cup soy sauce and some rosemary sprigs.  Reserve about 1/3 a cup of the marinade.   Place the drumsticks in the bag (about 6 legs), close, squish the chicken around in the bag, put it in the refrigerator and let it marinade for 2 hours.  You end up placing them on a foil lined cookie sheet and baking them for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.  While the chicken cooks, place the reserved marinade on the stove.  Bring it to a boil, them turn it to low, let it simmer, reduce and thicken.  When the drumsticks come out immediately baste them with the reduced marinade, sprinkle some sesame seeds and parsley over them and “Ta-da!”

Giada’s Kitchen:  New Italian Favorites is available at booksellers and Amazon.

Polenta Crusted Shrimp with Honey Mustard Sauce

“Giada’s Kitchen: New Italian Favorites” by Giada De Laurentiis

4 to 6 servings

The polenta coating on these fried shrimp makes a shell-like exterior that is just irresistible. I like this with honey mustard for dipping, but if you want to dip yours in marinara or even ketchup, you have my permission. Don’t worry about the paprika; it gives a bit of color but not any heat.

INGREDIENTS

Polenta-crusted shrimp

• Vegetable cooking spray

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 1/2 cups fine polenta

• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on

• Kosher salt, for sprinkling

Honey mustard sauce

• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt

• 5 tablespoons honey

DIRECTIONS

To make the shrimp: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet liberally with vegetable cooking spray. Put the flour in a small bowl. Pour the beaten eggs into another small bowl. Mix together the polenta and paprika in a medium bowl. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the flour. Dip the flour-dredged shrimp into the eggs and then coat with the polenta mixture. Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with the kosher salt.

To make the sauce: Combine the honey mustard ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Serve the shrimp with little dishes of sauce for dipping.

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Giada De Laurentiis New Baby and New Cookbook

 image:  www.freeimage.co.uk

Ok, I am out like a light for a week and missed the news.  In case, like myself, you are out of the loop:

Giada De Laurentiis had a baby girl on March 29th.

Jade Marie De Laurentiss Thompson weighed in at a petite 5lbs. 13oz., and arrived 5 days before her due date.

Congratulations to the whole family!

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Congratulations Giada, It’s a Girl!

 I watched the An Italian Christmas with Mario and Giada last night.  Don’t get too excited Mario fans, this is just a repeat of a special they did last year.  A rerun, like all the Christmas specials that the Food Network is airing this year, except for one.

Anyway, I was intrigued with the Christmas Ravioli they made with Roberta Dowling of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in Boston.  According to Mario, if there is a holiday, then there is pasta on the Italian table.  Due to the amount of time it takes to make Ravioli, this was usually reserved for special meals, like on Sundays or holidays.  Roberta Dowling came up with a creative way to enjoy your ravioli at the Christmas table with her Lobster and Mascarpone Holiday Ravioli with Truffle Butter. 

Lobster?  Truffle Butter?  Expensive?  Yes, but it is Christmas.  You could also alter the recipe a little, even change the insides of the ravioli to suit your wallet.  The festive part is the unique way in which she makes them.  She makes a batch of ravioli dough and then adds a puree to add color.  Then makes different pasta shapes with cookie cutters, egg wash and her imagination.  They made things like ravioli Christmas wreaths and ornaments.

You would need a pasta maker.  If you are fortunate enough to have a Kitchenaid Standing Mixer, then you can may have their pasta attachment or you can purchase one.  This would be a fun afternoon to spend with you family…the kids and adults.  Theresa Myers from The Tribune in Northern Colorado wrote an article about how her family (pictured above) all gathers to make pasta for their Christmas meal.  It is about the food but also about family:

We’ve now been making ravioli for about 20 years. While eating them is, of course, delicious, making them has become a party in itself. Since our parents died, we siblings and our various children usually gather at someone’s house in early December to construct the ravioli, freeze them and save them for Christmas dinner.

The day is filled with laughter and, as is always the case with my family, food. There are snacks galore, from traditional Italian antipasto, to meats and cheeses, to bruschetta and bread dipped in olive oil. It takes a lot of snacking to have the energy to crank out 200-plus ravioli in one day, and we certainly take advantage of it.

I think that is why I have always been drawn to Italians and their food.  Not only is it good, but there is passion and a connection between each generation all brought together by a few dishes and a table.

The recipe follows and is rather involved.  It is not really that hard, just time consuming.  Making pasta this way could be a lot of fun and remember you could always simplify the inside:

Lobster and Mascarpone Holiday Ravioli with Truffle Butter

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Expert
Prep Time: 2 hours
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen ravioli

Lobster and Mascarpone Filling:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup white wine, preferably Sauvignon Blanc
1 pound cooked lobster meat, picked over and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe standard or colored pasta dough, recipe follows
2 egg whites, beaten Burro di Tartufo (Truffle Butter):
1 pound unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (4-ounce) jar truffles, black or white, finely chopped

Make lobster and mascarpone filling: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add brandy. Turning pan away from you, carefully light with match to flambe. Add white wine and cook until reduced to syrup-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Add lobster meat, cooking until just warmed through. Remove from heat and place into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine mascarpone cheese with beaten eggs, chopped basil, nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Add to lobster and shallot mixture and combine well. Taste to adjust seasoning. Cover and set aside. If not using immediately, store in the refrigerator for up to a day.

Create holiday-shaped pasta cutouts:
Using a pasta roller, roll out pasta into thin sheets. Cut out shapes for the tops and bottoms of the ravioli using cookie cutters (bells, snowmen, trees, gingerbread boys and girls, snowflakes, stars, wreaths, etc.). Place pasta shapes on a floured dishtowel and cover so that pasta does not dry out. Cut out smaller shapes to decorate ravioli tops. Using a small, sterilized paintbrush, dip into the egg white and attach smaller pasta decorations onto raviolis. Be sure to completely decorate the top ravioli cutouts before filling. Cover with floured dishtowel. You should have an equal amount of ravioli bottoms without decorations and ravioli tops with decorations. Working with 1 ravioli at a time, place a spoonful of filling in the center of 1 ravioli bottom cutout. Using the paint brush, brush egg white all over the pasta edges around the filling. Place the matching ravioli top with decorations atop the filling (decorations face side up) and press to seal the edges, pinching together with a fork. Cover, until all of the ravioli shapes are made. If not using immediately, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a day. If freezing, separate ravioli on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap until frozen so that ravioli doesn’t stick together. Once frozen, store in a freezer-proof sealable plastic bag or airtight container for up to a month.Make Truffle Butter Sauce: Into the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a paddle attachment, cream until smooth. Add chopped truffles and mix until just blended, being careful not to “cream” the truffles into the butter. Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 5 hours or preferably overnight so that the truffles infuse the butter.

Remove butter and allow it to come to room temperature. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. Melt until warm – do not let it come to a boil. Keep warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large shallow saucepan of salted water to boil. Carefully slide in raviolis. Cook until al dente. About 10 minutes if using ravioli immediately; 12 minutes if using refrigerated ravioli and 15 minutes for frozen. Remove raviolis with a slotted spoon and lay on paper towels to absorb excess water. Place ravioli on plates and drizzle with truffle butter.

Standard Pasta Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
Salt
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil, optional Combine the flour and salt, to taste, and mound on a work surface. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and olive oil, if using. Carefully, beat the eggs with a fork until well mixed. Gradually begin incorporating the flour into the egg mixture with the fork. When enough of the flour has been incorporated so that the dough can be worked by hand, begin kneading the dough, adding more flour to prevent the dough from becoming too sticky. Knead vigorously for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny to the touch, and when cut in half, is completely smooth, with no air holes or gluten strands visible. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes in order to relax the gluten.

Colored Pasta Dough:
The amount suggested below for each puree is enough to color 1 recipe for standard pasta dough. Should you wish to prepare 2 or 3 different pasta colors, divide the quantities of dough and purees and color accordingly. If using small quantities, it is simpler to mix ingredients in a bowl, rather than on a flat surface. Mix the puree together with the eggs and proceed with the master recipe for the pasta. To compensate for extra moistness, you may need to incorporate extra flour into the dough when kneading it. Green Puree (spinach):
Steam 1/2 pound of spinach with water clinging to its leaves, covered for 2 minutes, or Swiss chard for 5 minutes. Rinse in cold water and squeeze the leaves as dry as possible. Puree the spinach in a food mill or processor.Speckled Green Puree (herb):
Trim, wash, pat dry, and finely chop 6 tablespoons of mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, sorrel, thyme, sage leaves, tarragon, lovage, marjoram, basil, dill, dandelion, arugula. However, the strong herbs—thyme, dill, sage, savory, marjoram, and tarragon—do not marry well with some others, so choose your herb mixture carefully.

Red Puree (beet):
Bake a small unpeeled beets in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. Peel and puree in a food processor.

Yellow Puree (saffron):
Add a generous pinch of ground saffron to the eggs in the well right before beating.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

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Italian Christmas Ravioli

One thing that I love about Giada De Laurentiis is that she loves to recreate the ordinary, but yet keeps it simple.  If you are looking for a change-up on your cheese tray for your holiday party she has a couple of great, simple ideas that sound tasty too.  She recently shared these on the Today Show.

Red Pepper Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (4 ounces)

• 1/2 cup cream cheese (4 ounces)

• 1/4 cup goat cheese (2 ounces)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 egg

• Pinch kosher salt

• 1/2 cup thin strips roasted red bell peppers

• 4 pitas

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup apricot jam

• 1 to 2 teaspoons hot water

• Special equipment: 1 (4 1/2-inch diameter) springform (cheesecake) pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the outside of the cheesecake pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Place the ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the sugar, egg and salt and pulse a few times until well mixed. Stir in the red pepper strips.

Pour the cheese mixture into the cheesecake pan. Place the cheesecake pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold).

Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

Pita chips:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the pitas into 8 triangles each (like a pie). Drizzle the pita with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

To serve, combine the jam and the water in a small bowl and stir until the jam is liquefied. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Place on a serving plate. Drizzle the jam mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Serve with the pita chips alongside.

 

Pecorino Romano with Apples and Fig Jam

Ingredients

• 6 dried figs, halved

• 1/2 cup simple syrup, recipe follows

• 2 tablespoons brandy

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

• 24 baguette slices

• Olive oil, for drizzling

• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

• 1 large apple (Granny Smith or Braeburn), thinly sliced into 24 slices

• 1/4 pound chunk Pecorino Romano, for shaving 24 pieces

Simple syrup

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 cup sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the figs, simple syrup and brandy. Bring the mixture up to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Place the fig mixture and the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend, pulsing a few times, until pureed. Set aside.

Place the baguette slices on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Top each slice with 1 teaspoon grated Pecorino Romano. Bake until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and golden, about 7 minutes.

Top each slice of toast with 2 teaspoons of fig jam, a slice of apple and apiece of shaved Pecorino Romano. Transfer the toasts to a serving platter and serve.

Simple syrup:
In a saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Giada’s Savory Red Pepper Cheesecake

In case you have missed the exciting news, Giada De Laurentis announced that she is pregnant with a baby girl.  The announcement took place on the Today Show.  She is a contributing correspondent:

De Laurentiis is 37 and married since 2003 to clothing designer Todd Thompson. In a taped segment for TODAY, the chef, Food Network star and best-selling author said her fans and friends have been asking her THE question for about five years now.

“Every single person, every book signing I do, every public appearance, my friends, everybody,” she said, all tell her the same thing: ‘You know you’re getting older! You can’t have children forever!”

Although she indicated that she had a suspicion how such things happen, De Laurentiis said that her pregnancy was a total surprise.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I was in complete shock. Just shock,” she said.

I think that a lot of fans are going to be excited to hear the news.  Although she is currently putting her Weekend Getaways show on hold for now, her plans are to keep on cooking.  She is due in April 2008.

Congratulations Giada!

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Giada De Laurentis Expecting a Girl

Giada De Laurentiis has a new cookbook out, Everyday Pasta.

For New York Times bestselling author Giada De Laurentiis, pasta has always been one of the great pleasures of the table: it’s healthy and delicious; it can be light and delicate or rich and hearty; it’s readily available and easy to prepare–everything you want in a meal. And nothing satisfies a craving for Italian food quite like it! In Everyday Pasta, Giada invites you to share her love of this versatile staple with more than a hundred brand-new recipes for pasta dishes, as well as for complementary sauces, salads, and sides tempting enough to bring the whole family to the dinner table.

Most of the dishes are a meal within themself, but Giada added appetizers, sides and salads to join with your pasta meal.

Everyday Pasta is available at all booksellers and on-line at sites like Amazon.

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Giada’s New Cookbook

If you are still trying to decide what to serve your guests at your own personal Oscar Party check-out Epicurious.  They have tips on Wine Selections, choosing champagne and recipes for your award winning party.

They have some great ideas for a party of hors d’oeuvres, a buffet or a casual dinner.  If you have a favorite nominated movie, they even have a dinner menu for each of the 5 nominated Best Picture movies.

So, grab your popcorn, or your Caviar Puff Pastry and enjoy the show.

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Epicurious Red Carpet Recipes